


Wishful

by Rosa_Cotton



Category: Hairspray (2007)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Confessions, Crushes, Dancing, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, Drama, F/M, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Friendship, Jealousy, Kissing, Link is swept off his feet, Makeover, Pink - Freeform, Romance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Wishes, distracted, poor Link, welcome to the 60s
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-18 21:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8177171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosa_Cotton/pseuds/Rosa_Cotton
Summary: Link kissed Tracy at the end of the Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant. Surely he'd been tempted to do that sooner.





	1. Fluttering

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: _Hairspray_ , all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of Marc Shaiman and New Line Cinema.
> 
> Author's Note: Just a short series of ficlets centering on Link, Tracy, and kisses. Plot, what plot?

Link briefly wet his lips with the tip of his tongue, slightly caught off guard to be the focus of the girl he'd been admiring just a moment ago and Seaweed. Seeing the black boy cover his amused smile with the back of his hand and the girl's sparkling eyes fill with recognition, he tried to swallow his sudden nervousness and spoke.

"Hey."

As Link walked farther into the classroom, he suddenly forgot what else he wanted to tell the girl. Her hands were pressed tightly together; her head bowed slightly, her now dim eyes peeking up at him with sad anticipation; and the corners of her mouth turned down. He was startled by how quickly her earlier happiness disappeared, replaced with uncertainty and…possible fear?

His stomach twisted into a hard knot, and his mouth went dry. This was the first time a girl had looked at him like that, and he hoped he never saw that expression again, _especially_ from the girl before him. He wanted desperately for her beautiful large brown eyes to be full of light again. He wished her frown would turn upside down to its rightful place. Her lips were full and pink. Perhaps he could wipe that pout away with a kiss.

Link's eyes widened. That thought had…come out of nowhere… And – help him – he realized he was tempted to give it a try. It took a moment longer for him to also realize he was staring intensely at the girl's lips. Praying he wasn't blushing, his gaze jumped up to meet hers, then swung over to Seaweed.

He never knew if he made sense while trying to explain to the girl about Corny and the hop. He was too busy commanding himself not to look anywhere except in the girl's eyes and not to even think about those lips that were now turned up in a small sweet smile.


	2. Falling

Link was vaguely aware of Corny counting beats in the background and of the music pouring through the speakers. It was Friday evening. The taping for today had wrapped up, and Corny had made all the council members stay for additional practicing of the newest dance they would perform on the show in little over a week. Everyone had been struggling, in varying degrees, to learn the new number. For the sake of trying to get the dance down, Corny had re-paired nearly everyone, putting someone who knew it for the most part with another who needed help.

Usually Link wasn’t too excited when this happened. Learning a dance with a new partner and then having to get used to dancing it with Amber wasn’t always easy. Every council member danced a little differently from the other, and sometimes it took time to adjust to dancing with someone you didn’t dance with all the time. 

However, Link couldn’t thank Corny enough for switching up things this time. No, he had no desire to moan and groan. Not when he had been paired up with Tracy Turnblad, the newest star on the _Corny Collins Show_. 

A goofy smile momentarily spread across his face. Ever since Tracy had joined the show, he had secretly wanted to dance with her. It was hard for him not to stare too hard whenever she was dancing within his line of vision. She was so amazing. Only a handful of times he had not totally enjoyed her dancing. And it always happened when she was paired with any of the guys. 

There was that one time Tracy and Fender led a dance together; they had smiled and gazed at each other – particularly on Fender’s part – too much for his comfort. (Link had always stayed to watch them practice after the main group rehearsal had ended for the day, instead of leaving the studio as soon as he could. Arms crossed, foot quickly tapping the floor to a beat only he heard, he had sulked in a corner, a rare, almost permanent, frown fixed on his brow.) Another time Sketch had danced with Tracy. In the final chaotic, tension-filled seconds before the show went on the air, Link had almost blinded himself by nearly spraying hairspray in his eyes when he saw Sketch press a flirtatious kiss to her cheek, wishing her good luck. Good luck! Sketch was a total Don Juan. He had gone out at least once with all girls on the show except Amber and Tracy. The former was unavailable, and the latter was not interested (to Link’s vast relief).

But, finally, _he_ was the one dancing with _her_ , and he could only hope that tomorrow— 

“Oh!”

The soft cry was the only warning Link had before he suddenly felt him and Tracy starting to fall. He instantly tightened his arms around the girl and took a large step forward, saving them from ending up in a heap on the floor. Shaking his head slightly, he realized he was holding Tracy in a sort of dip. They blinked at each other. 

“Are you okay?” he asked eventually.

“Yes. Nice reflexes.” A smile tugged on one corner of her mouth.

“Sorry…? Did I…?”

“No. It was my fault.” She blushed a little with embarrassment. She added, “Thank you for the rescue.”

Link gave her a slow smirk. “No problem, darling,” he said calmly, his heart pounding in his ears. He stared as she wet her lips, and he unconsciously leaned closer towards her. A quiet cough froze him and brought reality crashing back down. They were in the studio, practicing, surrounded by the other members, and he had been… Dazed blue eyes met puzzled brown ones. Smoothly, effortlessly, he brought Tracy up and settled her on her feet again. Certain she had her balance, he took a small step back from her. He had to _focus_. When she gave him a little smile, he took her hand again. 

“I’ll knock their socks off this time,” she promised.

_You’ve already knocked mine off_ , Link silently replied. He grinned at her.


	3. Flashing

Link walked briskly down the sidewalk. His gaze was lowered, hands jammed into his pockets, and mind oblivious to the star-struck gaping fangirls who had been trailing him for fifteen minutes since he brushed past them in front of the drugstore. Biting the inside of his bottom lip, he frowned. It had not been a good day. And the night so far was looking bleak.

For the third day in a row Amber had clung to him like she was his literal shadow. Every girl (and really, it had been _every single one_ ) that had so much as glanced, smiled, or tilted her head in a flirtatious or friendly manner at him had received from Amber a glare that could have killed. Today Link had noticed a number of girls had retreated in the opposite direction whenever he and Amber had walked down the halls to their classes.

Her behavior had been annoying, to say the least. It especially irked him during the _Corny Collins Show_. He found his arm in a tight, possessive grasp whenever he and Amber weren't dancing. When he tried to smile or make a comment to a fellow female council member, he was none too discreetly jerked away.

The worse part was that he hadn't exchanged a single word with Tracy in two days. It seemed he and Amber had been as far from her as possible during the tapings and rehearsals. The friendly smiles exchanged had rapidly dwindled to almost none when the results of those silent interactions had been Link's arm being pinched repeatedly, _hard_ , and Tracy being on the receiving end of Amber's cold eyes and sharp, sugarcoated tongue. Sadly, he even had to give up staring at her secretly because Amber seemed to have the eyes of a hawk and could tell whenever he watched her.

He didn't know what to make of Amber. Nor did he know why she had suddenly become all clingy and jealous. Perhaps he should have felt smug or proud of her display. Instead he was incredibly frustrated and confused. He felt like a yoyo. Up…Amber and he were almost inseparable, always together, _the couple_ to the rest of the world. Down…she pushed him away, keeping him at arm's length before… Up…drew him back to her. Down… Up… Down… Up… And it repeated again and again. Link had just accepted it before, figuring that was the way things worked. But this time… _Down…_ He was bothered. Because of thoughts of Tracy dancing in his mind, and her friendly, warm personality, and chocolate eyes, he wondered was that how a boyfriend was supposed to be treated. These last three days he had felt like he was a toy to Amber, currently wanted yet also discarded at will. He swallowed thickly. Was that how she saw him, had always viewed him? Would things be different if it—

SMACK!

Link jolted as he collided right into someone coming the other way. Instantly his hands flew to the arms of the person in front of him as he took a step back.

"Watch whe—" he started to snap.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

He blinked. " _Trace?_ " he said in a hoarse whisper, air racing from his lungs.

Open mouthed, he gaped down at the girl. It was Tracy but…dressed in a shimmery pink dress that fell to her knees, with high-heeled dancing shoes. Long silvery earrings dangled from her ears. Her ratted hairdo was gone, replaced with a classy up 'do, complete with tiny pink roses nestled in her hair.

Feeling like he'd been swept off his feet, Link slowly looked her over from head to toe and vice versa. He still hadn't remembered how to breathe, and his heart was pounding to a rock-and-roll beat. Pink. He'd once secretly liked the color – when he was younger, watching his mom dance about the kitchen in her favorite light pink summer dress, swaying and twirling gracefully. Now seeing Tracy all in pink…his love for the color came back with a bright flash.

"Link..."

Her soft almost questioningly tone caused Link to realize he was still touching her. Without his knowledge he'd taken two steps nearer to her; his inspecting gaze had halted on her pink shiny mouth; their faces seemed close together; and they were on a public sidewalk.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, backing away, trying not to miss the feel of her skin against his and hoping desperately he hadn't looked a fool staring at her unashamedly. He coughed. "I nearly didn't recognize you at first." He felt completely off balance.

Her cheeks turned pink, matching her dress, and Link almost sighed but caught himself just in time. She lowered her head. "Oh!" she said and bent down to retrieve the bags she had dropped.

Standing still for a second, he moved to helped her, and within moments everything had been rescued from the sidewalk.

"Thank you, Link," she said when he handed her the last bag.

"Don't mention it, darlin'," he responded, starting to feel back in his element. "How you've been? Haven't really seen you around…"

"Yes," she agreed slowly.

It felt like it had been forever since he'd really seen Tracy. Last Friday he had kept her company as she waited to be picked up by her parents outside the studio, sheltered by an awning from the rain falling heavily. They had joked and laughed, groaned about the hard new dances, and discussed their happiness that it was the weekend. Then Monday had come and Amber.

"I am swell," she added with a bright smile.

Link smirked in return. "Night on the town?"

She nodded, "Ma and I went shopping and got new dresses and our hair done and are now going to get some ice cream." She looked herself over and turned slightly, her dress moving with her movement. Then she glanced up at him.

"All dolled up, you look…" _beautiful_ , brushed his mind, "adorable," he finished. He willed himself not to blush.

Her shyness melted away as she smiled sweetly at him. "Thanks."

"Tracy!"

Both teenagers turned around, and a woman in a pink dress that almost matched Tracy's waved from the ice cream parlor three or four shops down.

"My ma," Tracy said, turning back to Link. "I need to go."

He tried to hide his sudden disappointment at the end of the moment. "Yeah. Enjoy yourselves."

"We will. Would…you like to join us?"

Of course he would. He shook his head. "Thanks. But I don't want to interrupt a girls' night."

She smiled again, a new, different smile. His insides were turning to molasses, and he felt like he was standing ten feet tall. "Well, see you tomorrow, then."

As she started to go, he couldn't resist asking, "Are you going to wear your hair like that tomorrow?"

"I would like to, but it will probably not hold up with all the dancing."

He nodded. If she showed up like that, all the guys would be falling over her. Thank goodness for small favors.

"See you, little darlin'." He waved.

"Bye." And then she moved through the small crowd to join her mom, and the two disappeared inside the shop.

Link didn't move until she was gone. Starting to spin on his heels, he turned back when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a flash of pink. Lying on the ground was one of the tiny roses that had been in Tracy's hair. Slowly he picked it up, his thumb tracing the fabric petals. For one second he touched it to his cheek and sighed dreamily.

He spun around and grinned at the group of teenage girls who quickly parted to let him pass. "Ladies." And he went off with a skip in his step, the night suddenly looking up, his world full of pink.


	4. Frustrating

Link watched Seaweed lead Penny to a spot amidst the teenagers before he turned to the short beaming girl beside him. Since setting foot in Maybelle's record store, Link had watched her face glow with awe and delight. Not for the first time Link's breath caught in his throat as he observed her excitement.

His smile was almost shy as he offered Tracy his hand, and together they joined the others dancing. It was slow and steady, a comfortable arm's length between them as they moved in circles to the music.

This was different from dancing on the _Corny Collins Show_ , where every dance had been practiced to perfection with assigned partners. Here everyone simply moved to the rhythm of the music. Link hadn't felt more nervous and at ease at the same time dancing with Tracy before. He didn't have to remember what steps to do. Instead he could admire the girl before him. He liked this.

Noises of shoes scuffling over the floor and quiet voices murmuring filled Link's ears, and he felt the body heat from the other kids dancing close by. All that fell away, though, when Tracy lifted her gaze up to his face and he lost himself in those chocolate brown pools.

"Link."

He snapped out of his trance and blinked. Noticing the light dimming in her eyes, he bit the inside of his bottom lip. He waited.

"Aren't you going to get in awful trouble for this?" her words were laced with concern, and her eyes were uncertain – a contrast to the music and dancing they were taking part in.

"Not planning on telling my dad," Link quickly assured her, touched by her worry. Lazily he bobbed his head in time to the music.

"No," she elaborated hesitantly, "I mean in trouble with someone _else_."

He didn't answer right away. He could get in trouble for coming here if Mrs. von Tussle found out. No, she would not be too pleased. Neither would Amber, for that matter. But was that the only thing Tracy meant by "this" or…

"Hmm, maybe," he admitted, his tone light. He glanced away from her searching gaze and discovered the arm's length distance between them had shrunk to only two or three inches. He hadn't been this close to her since he ran into her, all dolled up in her new pink dress, on her way to the ice cream shop over a week ago. He could see the few freckles dusting her cheeks. And her brown, blond-highlighted hair looked so soft in the light. For one short moment he considered closing the gap between them; he didn't.

"Maybe it's worth it," he went on, leaning down a little. A slow smile broke out over Tracy's face. He smiled in return. Link took the plunge, "I think knowing you is the start of a pretty big adventure." He felt his insides melting, watching her react to his sort-of confession. Tracy blushed, her smile grew, and her eyes softened as she gazed up at him.

She looked so pretty... He really would like nothing more than to kiss her right now, here in the middle of the store. Would she let him? Could he gently run his fingers through her hair and see if it was as soft as it looked?

His smile vanished as he looked at her intensely and slowly moved closer to her as they danced. Her expression was curious at his seriousness. When he bent down towards her, her eyes widened but she did not step back.

Steadily holding her gaze, his stomach going _flip-flop_ , his voice was a bare whisper, "Trace…"

" _Tracy Edna Turnblad!_ "

They both jumped. Stepping back a respective distance, Link silently groaned. Overwhelmingly disappointed, he watched along with everyone else as Mrs. Turnblad strode into the store.


End file.
